Loneliness in Shakespeare's Sonnet 29 and in Shelley's Frankenstein

Summary: A comparison of Shakespeare's Sonnet 29 and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with regard to the theme of loneliness. The characters in these works demonstrate that their loneliness is due to their conditioning, which has placed the need within us for certain necessities, like relationships, to be fulfilled or we will be left with feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Conditioning Loneliness

There is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy. - Dante

Unless we love and are loved, each of us is alone, each of us is deeply lonely. - Mortimer J. Addler

We as humans feel an emptiness within us when we are left alone or without certain necessities. However, why are we left with this feeling of loneliness? Some of these `necessities' are the relationships and interactions with others. But, interactions are not technically essential for our survival. What is it inside us then that makes us feel empty when these sorts of requirements are missing? Our conditioning has placed the need within us for certain necessities, like relationships, to be fulfilled or we will be filled with a feeling of loneliness and isolation.